Welcome to the School Libraries Group of the Library Association of Ireland
The SLARI Conference which was held in Pearse Street Library on Friday 22nd November had as its theme the new Junior Cycle.
Annette Honan of the NCCA gave an outline of the key skills that will be required of students in the new Junior Certificate. Click here: http://www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Post-Primary_Education/Junior_Cycle/
Mick O’Riordan, Regional Advisor to the JCSP, told us of some great ideas that are currently being done by librarians in schools all over the country.
SLARI Conference
“Libraries and the New Junior Cycle”
22nd November 2013
Pearse Street Library
9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
Contact secretary@slari.ie
Click for brochure and booking form:
SLARI November Conference 2013 brochure
SLARI November Conference 2013 booking form
Dr Sheena Wilkinson, the inaugural writer-in-residence formally launched the Bringing to Book project with an inspirational talk entitled ‘Children’s Books Saved My Life’, at the Church of Ireland College of Education on Tuesday, 8 October.
Sheena’s inspirational talk traced her journey from being the child who loved reading and writing to the adult professional writer she is today. Speaking to academics and librarians active in the field of children’s literature and to students post-graduate and under-graduate of children’s literature and initial teacher education, Sheena recreated her childhood love of reading and writing stories. She shared her early efforts at creating stories and how important her teacher, local library and librarian and of course, her parents had been in supporting and encouraging this creativity.
With this image of the child reader/writer in mind Sheena urged the undergraduate B. Ed. students in the audience to do everything they could to be the significant teacher who will encourage that spark of creativity in the children they will teach during their career.
Sheena will be on-campus in Dublin two days per week during this academic year, she will be attending Bookfest events around the country this month and for anyone interested in finding out more about ‘Bringing to Book’ and the residency, Sheena can be contacted at sheena.wilkinson@cice.ie .
To read Seamus Heaney’s address at the launch of Library Ireland Week 2010 click here. https://www.libraryassociation.ie/sites/default/files/Seamus_Heaney%20_Leabharlann-1.pdf
The SLARI AGM will take place on Thursday evening 18 April 2013 in Pearse Street Library, Pearse Street, Dublin 2.
The AGM will be directly followed by the launch of our literacy publication, ‘Practical Literacy in Irish School Libraries’, which will include a wine reception sponsored by Interleaf.
The evening will proceed as follows:
‘Libraries leading literacy’
The November SLARI Conference was held on Friday 23rd November 2012 in Pearse Street Library. A copy of the brochure can be downloaded here. For programme details see below:
9:30 am Registration
10:00 am Jean Allen – Get them reading: literacy
strategies in the secondary school
11:00 am Coffee break
11:30 am Statia Somers – Whole school literacy programme.
You can download Statia’s powerpoint presentation here.
You can download Statia’s reading promotion ideas here.
1:00 pm Seminar closes
IES will have a bookstand at the Conference.
We would like to offer two free places to unemployed librarians and one free place to a student. First come, first served – so please email the Secretary to secure your place: secretary@slari.ie If you have any queries at all please contact the Secretary.
Attending this Conference is a good opportunity to meet other school librarians.
Saturday 24th March 2012 – Spring Seminar and AGM 2012
SLARI’s 2012 AGM and Spring Seminar, entitled ‘The Unquiet Library: Literacy and Numeracy Strategies’, took place on Saturday 24th March 2012 in the JCSP Library in Larkin Community College. The theme of this conference was literacy and numeracy strategies that could be used in a library setting.
The day began with the SLARI AGM then Conor Kostick gave a workshop on how creative writing can work with students. After a coffee break the focus turned to other subjects and topics that could be promoted in the library, among these Maths/Science, History and games. Michael Moylan spoke aboutIrish History Live and how this works in promoting History to students. Christine Campbell from Anyone4Maths spoke about her Maths and Science workshops. School librarians from SLARI talked about initiatives that work in their libraries. There was also be a display of games available for delegates to look at and try out and I.E.S. provided the bookshop for the day.
It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the library to a lot of librarians who were quite unfamiliar with the JCSP libraries and the JCSP programme. Many of them were really impressed and were in touch afterward looking for additional information about what we do in our libraries.
You can download the brochure here.
Many thanks to our sponsors Interleaf Technology and International Education Services.
Our November conference took place on Saturday 19th November 2011 in St. Michael’s College, Ailesbury Road, Dublin 4. The theme of the conference was: ‘Promoting Literacy with e-readers and Technology’. Tom Donegan from Inis magazine attended the conference and you can see his review here.
Coleesa Humphreys spoke about South Dublin Libraries’ experience with e-readers. Charles Quain from Interleaf Technology spoke to participants about Overdrive and how it works to provide e-books and audio books to libraries. Some school librarians, Jenny Mangan, Larkin Community College, Helen O’Kelly, Stratford College and Jane O’Loughlin, Clongowes Wood, shared initiatives that they have used in their libraries to promote literacy using e-readers and technology. Finally the highlight of the day was an iPad workshop with Ciarán McCormack (the Creative Director of FÍS – Films in School Project) on ways of promoting literacy with iPads. The iPads for this workshop were very kindly supplied by Typetec Ltd.
The conference was a great success and we received a lot of positive feedback from delegates. Many thanks to our sponsors The Book Nest and Interleaf Technology.
The SLARI 2011 AGM and conference, entitled “Awards and rewards: promoting reading in innovative ways”, took place on Friday 13th May 2011 in Pearse St Library.
You can download the brochure here and view photos from the conference here.
Resources: Clues for the Library Murder Mystery and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.
The SLARI Spring Conference, “Guiding Gullible Googlers” with Geoff Dubber, was held in Pearse Street Library, Dublin 2 on Friday 4th February 2011.
The conference was a great success and we received a lot of positive feedback from delegates. Many thanks to our sponsors The Book Nest and Interleaf Technology.
Geoff Dubber’s slides from the conference can be found here and accessed with the following code ILSSecSLARI0211. Photos from the conference are here.
Programme
You can download the brochure here.
The Spring Conference, entitled “Secrets for Success : Activities that work for School Libraries”, took place at the National Library on Friday 16th April 2010. The aim of the day was to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and to highlight best practice in various types of school libraries.
Programme
This year’s November seminar featured guest speaker Nicola Morgan, author ofBlame my brain: the amazing teenage brain revealed. Nicola Morgan is an award-winning author who lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. She is best known for her critically acclaimed teenage novels, and her two popular books on the young brain: Blame My Brain and Know Your Brain. Find out more about Nicola Morgan’s biography and work here.
Many thanks to our sponsors International Education Services, Interleaf and Ryco.
This year’s Spring Seminar entitled Teaching skills for school librarians took place in St Andrew’s College, Booterstown, Co. Dublin. Sharon Markless, renowned academic and lecturer at King’s College, London, presented the seminar on teaching skills.
The November conference entitled Every Child Matters: Inclusion in the School Library, was held on Saturday, 15th November 2008, at Tallaght Library, County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
The Spring Seminar, entitled Whole school approach to library development, was held on Saturday, 12th April 2008 in The Kings Hospital, Palmerstown, Dublin 20. Our guest lecturer was Geoff Dubber. Geoff has 35 years of working with school libraries, 24 years of teaching and management in secondary and primary schools and 12 years experience as an independent consultant and trainer specialising in school library development. He is the author of many S.L.A. guidelines. Geoff is currently Vice Chair of the School Library Association.
The November Conference, entitled: “Self-Directed Learning: School Libraries supporting the Curriculum”, was held on the 23rd and 24th November 2007 in the Church of Ireland College of Education, Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin 6.
Our website was officially launched by Gervase Phinn, President of the School Library Association. Gervase is a former UK teacher and school inspector. He is now a freelance lecturer, broadcaster and writer. He has published many articles and books and edited a wide range of poetry and short story collections.
The Spring Seminar, entitled Making the most of your school library, was held on Saturday, 24th March 2007 at Pearse Street Library, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2.
A number of successful strategies were highlighted that are being used to maximise the relevance of the school library.
The November Conference, entitled: “Reading matters: developing readers in your school library ”, was held in Alexandra College, Milltown, Dublin 6, on 11th November 2006.
The keynote speaker was Fiona Edwards from Opening the Book http://www.openingthebook.com. This was a very useful presentation and discussion about the individual needs of young readers when reading for pleasure and beyond the school curriculum.
Jane O’Loughlin, JCSP Librarian, Coláiste Chathail Naofa, Dungarvan (one of the schools participating in the Junior Certificate School Library Programme Demonstration Library Project) presented this session. The theme of her inspiring presentation “Non-readers and reluctant readers most welcome!” covered the multi-faceted nature of working with reluctant readers in her school library.
To round off the day, author Claire Hennessy talked about her writing.
A bookstall was provided by International Education Services.
LAI School Libraries Group